ALBANY, Ga. -- Darton College president Peter Sireno cut the ribbon on the new Darton Village South dorm Tuesday, effectively doubling the college's student housing capacity.

The new $13 million, 125-unit building will house 250 students. When coupled with the nearby Darton Commons, which will house 210 students and was completed in the fall of 2009, the new dorm boosts Darton's on-campus student housing to 410.

The new building's two-bedroom units have private bathrooms, and students have access to three complete workout rooms. Both dorms are filled to capacity.

"What you see around you right now is where 460 young people will spend two to six years of their lives at Darton College," Sireno said prior to the ribbon-cutting. "What you see here is the end of Phase II of the college's expansion. We will continue to evolve into a complete campus."

"It's been a real pleasure to be involved with the growth of Darton College," project manager Hal Gibson of Hal Gibson Cos. said. "We are pleased this phase is over, now we are ready to begin the next."

The next phase will be adding a third dorm to the mix.

Architect Tim Fish of Cooper Carry Architects said he thinks Darton has created an ideal student environment.

"I think we spent a lot of time creating a sense of community here," Fish said. "There are different levels of space in this build. Students need to be able to study, sleep and socialize ... and it's all right here."

Les Juneau of Juneau Construction Co. said he was proud the building was built under budget and took just eight months to erect.

"Student housing projects are different," Juneau said. "I've been on more than 25 campuses all over the country, and each project is different. Students move in and out, but the ones you've got to impress are the parents, and I think we've done that here."